Monday, February 11, 2013

Boundaries People! Boundaries!

Earlier today, I could hear the sound of a chain saw going. I was just getting out of bed, so I didn't think much of it. I stumbled to the kitchen to make a coffee and feed the cats, it was then I saw Yardman in my front driveway. He was chopping up some little tree branches.

Yardman lives in Dead Mama's house. I know his last name is different from Dead Mama, so I know he is not a son. Honestly I don't know his relationship to anyone. Initially when he moved in several years ago, we called him Rum Son's special friend. Neighborhood code for We don't know the relationship and frankly it is none of our damn business. Yardman has made a pretty profitable business in the neighborhood of doing work for the neighbors. He does everything for my immediate next door neighbor, she has him trimming and mowing etc every week. Usually when he works her yard, he will blow our driveway clean too. But for about 2 years he was using our garden cart to do his yard work, so I considered it payment.

I initially didn't think much about him in the driveway. I thought maybe one of the turkey oaks dropped a large branch and he was cleaning up for me. When we lost a tree during the Tropical Storms last year, he helped me cut it up and dispose of it...mostly in his backyard. I believe the heater no longer functions next door and the fireplace stays lit most of the winter. Well not this winter, it hasn't been cold enough. So I continued with my coffee and got ready for an appointment I had this afternoon.

When I pulled out of the driveway I looked to where he had been cutting and discovered a very large tree that had been down for about 2 years was gone from my front yard.

Tree was here

Yes, he came 20 feet into my front yard and chopped up a dead tree in my yard.

I'm not sure if I am offended or relieved. Part of it did a good job of blocking our house from view of the street and kept headlights from shining into the front windows. Eventually we planned on cutting it up and burning it...most of my trees are like that, we let them dry out in place and then eventually chop them up. I don't have one of those "yards of the week", I prefer the natural woods look. (No I don't have 4 foot weeds in the yard, but I don't have a ton of grass and watering...I let it xeriscape itself).

Since I like Yardman, being the most sane of the lot and the fact he shared Oranges with me this winter, I am sticking with the not offended part of this.

However, this isn't the first time next door has confused the boundaries between our yards. Back when Daddy was alive, they used to park cars within 20 feet of my front door. Our lot is not wide (just about the size of the house) but is long and deep. Our driveway can easily hold 6-8 cars on it...it's a long driveway. So having their junk cars on my property and CLEARLY my property (between my mailbox and house) was fightin words.

Eventually I convinced Daddy that my property did not start at my sidewalk (like he thought). Yes, think about that for a minute. But actually started at the end of my driveway and the street.

Daddy was quite annoyed at this when he found out. You see the street dead ends at my mailbox. He asked me years ago if I minded him planting bushes at the end of the street to keep the garbage trucks etc from running into the yard. He believed that property was all his, but the city gave us the front part of this parcel. Running on a diagonal to the back, where they own the property. I still don't know why this was such an issue for Daddy, since they drive onto their property through the grass to the right of the trees.

Bushes at the end of the street, tree used to be to the left of the mailbox.Can you see to the right of the bushes where they drive their cars?